


The Prat in the Library

by fifty_fifty



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Library, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arguing, Boys Kissing, First Kiss, First Meetings, Kissing, Librarian Arthur, Libraries, M/M, Meet-Cute, Modern Era, Student Arthur, Student Merlin, Surprise Kissing, University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 06:49:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13335741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fifty_fifty/pseuds/fifty_fifty
Summary: “You know, it’s rude to be listening to music when you’re waiting to borrow books,” said the man, accusingly.Merlin returned his glare with a frown. “Calm down, friend. I was just getting into the mood.”The man behind the desk snorted and looked Merlin up and down, taking in his black faded band t-shirt, dark washed jeans and scruffy boots. “As if someone likeme, would ever be friends with someone likeyou,” he sneered. He looked down at Merlin’s ID card to read his name. “Merlin.”





	The Prat in the Library

Merlin started to dance a little as he walked down the aisle of the university library. He was listening to his favourite ‘Getting Shit Done’ playlist as he searched for books for his essay that was due the next week. He’d already procrastinated a few days on getting them and knew if he didn’t do _something_ to motivate himself, then he would leave it until the day before it was due _again_ and he was already in Professor Caerleon’s bad books. He didn’t need to add asking for an extension to the list he was sure she was keeping, of his numerous (in her opinion) faults.

Finally, just as _Ain’t No Mountain High Enough_ started to finish Merlin took his books downstairs to the front desk. He was happily grooving to _I Got a Feeling_ when he put his books down on the front desk with a thud, along with his library card. He was drawn out of his own world when his earbuds were abruptly pulled out of ears and he noticed a man glaring at him.

“You know, it’s rude to be listening to music when you’re waiting to borrow books,” said the man, accusingly.

Merlin returned his glare with a frown. “Calm down, friend. I was just getting into the mood.”

The man behind the desk snorted and looked Merlin up and down, taking in his black faded band t-shirt, dark washed jeans and scruffy boots. “As if someone like _me_ , would ever be friends with someone like _you_ ,” he sneered. He looked down at Merlin’s ID card to read his name. “ _Mer_ lin.”

Merlin’s scowl deepened. Who was this man to tell him he was rude simply for enjoying some music whilst waiting for the notoriously slow university’s computer system? Insulting him by saying he wouldn’t be friends with the likes of him? It’s not like he would _ever_ have considered being friends with him either. Mister Posh with his perfectly combed blond hair, crease-free, obviously-ironed shirt (I mean who even ironed any more?), tailored dress trousers and geeky black-framed glasses. He was a student librarian and there was no dress code for the library, therefore he had to be a posh git who thought way too much of himself.

“You’re not exactly who I’d choose to spend my nights with either, but here we are. So why don’t you just do your job and scan my books? Then we can both get on with our lives,” huffed Merlin. He deliberately put his earbuds back in sending the prat a look that dared him to pull them out again.

The man sent him a polite, disinterested look in return and calmly took Merlin’s ID card and scanned it. Then he slowly scanned in his books with the barcode scanner one by one and tapped a few keys on the keyboard ocassionally. Merlin looked away and tapped his foot in time with the beat of the music, determined to ignore the prat of a librarian. Then all of a sudden the man’s calm demeanour snapped and he tore the earbuds from Merlin’s ears and yanked him off balance.

“Hey!” exclaimed Merlin, rubbing his ears.

“I told you,” the librarian growled. “It’s rude to listen to music when someone is helping you. Or did you not hear me the first time, _Mer_ lin? You should have done. You have the ears for it!”

Merlin flushed red with anger. He clenched and unclenched his hands as he felt his temper rising and his magic getting agitated with it. He had to work hard to keep it at bay. How dare this condescending, arrogant, overbearing prat tell him what to do?

“And if you hadn’t have been listening to music,” the prat continued smugly. “You would have heard me when I said that you can’t renew this book. It’s non-renewable.”

“What!? No, I _need_ that book to write my essay,” protested Merlin.

“So do other people, _Mer_ lin, that’s why you can’t renew it. Another person has requested it.”

Merlin stared at the man incredulously. “Then what the hell am I supposed to do?” he asked.

The prat merely crossed his arms then sat down on his chair behind the desk and opened a book to read, not even bothering to look up at Merlin as he spoke. “That, is not my problem.”

Quietly fuming, Merlin shoved the books he’d been able to borrow into his bag and his ID card into his jeans pocket. The librarian was seemingly absorbed in his book and was completely ignoring him. So he sneakily reached out his hand for the book he’d been unable to renew. A hand slapped down on top of it, jerking it away.

“This book is now reserved for another student.”

“But I just need it for a while, I’m not going to take it anywhere!” protested Merlin, tightening his grip on the book. He tugged at the book, unwilling to let go. The prat of a librarian grasped it firmly too and yanked it towards him, pulling Merlin flat against the counter and almost over the top of it.

“Give me. The. Book,” gritted out the librarian. He was deceptively strong, given his choice of outfit and geeky glasses, but Merlin was determined not to let him win. He pulled back but it seemed to be a futile effort as he felt his feet slowly lift off the ground and flailed them as he was dragged over the counter and landed on top of the prat with a surprised ‘oof’.

Merlin found himself pressed up against the librarian, both of them temporarily winded by their unexpected fall. Once he’d caught his breath he started to pull himself up. When suddenly he found himself being yanked down by the collar of his t-shirt into a kiss which was rough, yet needy. Merlin froze for a second, wondering what the hell was happening before his mouth responded in kind; biting, licking into and plundering the prats mouth.

“God, you’re such a prat,” murmured Merlin into their kiss.

The mans hands ran over his shoulder blades and down his back as he broke the kiss. “No, my name is Arthur,” he panted.

Merlin grinned down at him and kissed him fleetingly. “Same thing.”

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Idiot in the Library](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15036539) by [little_dhampir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_dhampir/pseuds/little_dhampir)




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